Than for his lineal royalties and to beg
Enfranchisement immediate on his knees:
Which on thy royal party granted once,
His glittering arms he will commend to rust, 116
His barbed steeds to stables, and his heart
To faithful service of your majesty.
This swears he, as he is a prince, is just;
And, as I am a gentleman, I credit him. 120
K. Rich. Northumberland, say, thus the king returns:
His noble cousin is right welcome hither;
And all the number of his fair demands
Shall be accomplish'd without contradiction: 124
With all the gracious utterance thou hast
Speak to his gentle hearing kind commends.
[Northumberland retires to Bolingbroke.]
[To Aumerle.] We do debase ourselves, cousin, do we not,
To look so poorly and to speak so fair? 128
Shall we call back Northumberland and send
Defiance to the traitor, and so die?
Aum. No, good my lord; let's fight with gentle words,
Till time lend friends and friends their helpful swords. 132
K. Rich. O God! O God! that e'er this tongue of mine,
That laid the sentence of dread banishment
On yon proud man, should take it off again
With words of sooth. O! that I were as great 136
As is my grief, or lesser than my name,
Or that I could forget what I have been,
113 lineal royalties: prerogatives due to descent
114 Enfranchisement: restoration to free man's rights
117 barbed: armored
127 debase: degrade
136 sooth: cajolery
